Can anyone ID these old photos?

[galactic]

Hello everyone! I have three old photographs of baseball players that I am trying to identify. I have searched the net and no luck so far. I assume they are minor league players. Other photos with this group were from the 1920s and 1930s, so I am assuming thats the time frame these were taken. Possibly from Wheeling, New martinsville or Moundsville West Virginia. Anyone have any idea what team this is?
Thank you for your help! Sorry the pics are so small on this page. Maybe I can send one as an attachment if you can't see them.
http://www.geocities.com/gogalacticred/baseballpage.html

[galactic]

Ok, here's one of the pictures as an attachment. Sorry it's so HUGE!!
Thanks!

[runningshoes]

Looks like Bob Feller and Frankie Pytlak in 1940.

Any chance I can get a scan for my personal collection?

[galactic]

Thanks for the reply. So you think these are really Cleveland Indians players and not a minor league team?
Well, I had no idea! I feel kinda dumb now! LOL I told ther lady whom these belong to that it couldn't possibly be a major league team because of the background. They seem to be playing/practicing in someone's cowfield. Goes to show what I know! She doesn't remember anyone in her family ever talking about hanging out with the Cleveland Indians either.

[Brian McKenna]

older ballplayers played in many a strange place in march and early april - feller also barnstormed after the season with satchel paige and others

[ez906]

First of all, let's identify the correct team. That "C" belongs exclusively to Cincinnati, not Cleveland. The player is not Bob Feller, who played with Cleveland from 1936 to 1956.
It is also NOT a major league uniform.
Cincinnati adopted that specific "C" in 1913, and has used it every year since.
However, from 1913 until 1956, the word "REDS" appears inside the C. The picture appears to be older than 1956. Even if it's not older, the "long sleeves under short sleeves" style shown in the photo was discontinued in 1956. In other words, until 1956, it was REDS inside the C and long/short uniform. In 1956 it was NO REDS in the C, but NOT long/short uniform.

Since the photo shows NO REDS and is long/short, it can't be the major league team. It must be a minor league affiliate.

Let me know if you need help identifying the Cincinnati minor league affiliates in that area.

Joe (husband of ez906 and a baseball nut)

[runningshoes]

First of all, let's identify the correct team. That "C" belongs exclusively to Cincinnati, not Cleveland. The player is not Bob Feller, who played with Cleveland from 1936 to 1956.
It is also NOT a major league uniform.
Cincinnati adopted that specific "C" in 1913, and has used it every year since.
However, from 1913 until 1956, the word "REDS" appears inside the C. The picture appears to be older than 1956. Even if it's not older, the "long sleeves under short sleeves" style shown in the photo was discontinued in 1956. In other words, until 1956, it was REDS inside the C and long/short uniform. In 1956 it was NO REDS in the C, but NOT long/short uniform.

Since the photo shows NO REDS and is long/short, it can't be the major league team. It must be a minor league affiliate.

Let me know if you need help identifying the Cincinnati minor league affiliates in that area.

Joe (husband of ez906 and a baseball nut)

Where did you get 1956 from.

I said around 1940.

[runningshoes]

1940 Reds.

[runningshoes]

1940 Indians.

Now I'm not saying your wrong about that being Feller, although I do believe that is a young Bob Feller and I'm even more sure of the other guy being Frankie Pytlak, but you're way off on the "C" thing. Probably a good idea not to come off as authoritative unless you can be authoritative. Do you think I just took a wild stab in the dark at this?

Take a close look at the gloves. There's now way in you know where that photo was taken anywhere near 1956.

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

First of all, let's identify the correct team. That "C" belongs exclusively to Cincinnati, not Cleveland. The player is not Bob Feller, who played with Cleveland from 1936 to 1956.
It is also NOT a major league uniform.
Cincinnati adopted that specific "C" in 1913, and has used it every year since.
However, from 1913 until 1956, the word "REDS" appears inside the C. The picture appears to be older than 1956. Even if it's not older, the "long sleeves under short sleeves" style shown in the photo was discontinued in 1956. In other words, until 1956, it was REDS inside the C and long/short uniform. In 1956 it was NO REDS in the C, but NOT long/short uniform.

Since the photo shows NO REDS and is long/short, it can't be the major league team. It must be a minor league affiliate.

Let me know if you need help identifying the Cincinnati minor league affiliates in that area.

Joe (husband of ez906 and a baseball nut)

Nowadays this C belongs to Cincinnati, but back in the 1940's Cleveland had a C like that as well.

And except for the 1956-1960 uniforms, the Reds always had their name mentioned in the C on the uniform. And besides that. Look at the cap on the black and white picture. Cincy never had a cap like that.

Look at the pics of the Indians caps below.

The left one is a 1933 cap and the right one is a 1948.

Here's the link where I found them. http://www.dugout-memories.com/cleind.html

[runningshoes]

No one is going to tell me this is not Bob Feller in an Indians uniform.

[csh19792001]

No one is going to tell me this is not Bob Feller in an Indians uniform.

It isn't!

J/k. :laugh Could never mistake that goofy smile for none other.

[runningshoes]

It isn't!

J/k. :laugh Could never mistake that goofy smile for none other.

Well, no one except you, Chris. :laugh

[Shotgun Shuba]

I would say if it is a major league team it's the 1941 Indians. It's the only uniform match. The "C" on the cap is not a "reds" or "bears" C for that one year. Every other year it is.

[Yankwood]

That happens to be Charlie "Porkchop" Hutchins and his catcher "Squatt" Muhlheisen. Don't really remember what ol' Squatt's real name was.

They played for the old Canastota Honey Bears in the now defunct Finger Lakes League. Canastota, in case you hadn't heard of it is also the home of the Boxing Hall of Fame. I know this stuff because my father and my uncle used to play ball with Carmen Basilio, who happens to be a member of the Boxing Hall of Fame.

"Poke" as they used to call Charlie was ticketed to the Major Leagues 'til whiskey and women got hold of him. Legend has it he struck out Stan Musial four times in a AAA International League game in 1941, but I don't know as anyone's been able to prove that.

"Squatt" joined the circus and worked there as a barker so he could be near his high school sweetheart. Supposedly she broke his heart and ran off with the famed "Lobster Boy". Afraid I can't prove that, either. Just tellin' you what I heard.

The best I can tell is that picture is from about '42 or '43. Can't say for sure, though.

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

The picture must be made in 1941. Compare the c on the cap with the one of the added picture of the HOF site. This was the only year they had a c like that on their home cap in combination with this uniform. This uniform is one of the few Indians uniforms without a patch on the sleeve.

So thinking about all of this, I am pretty sure that these are players of the Cleveland Indians.

[ACrank]

Have you emailed the Indians? I am sure they could show the picture to Mr. Feller and have him give a positive id.

(To my untrained eye the gentleman on the left does not look like Feller at all.)